Current, maximum power and optimized efficiency of a Brownian heat engine

Transport of a Brownian particle moving in a periodic potential is investigated in the presence of symmetric unbiased external force. The viscous medium is alternately in contact with the two different heat reservoirs. We present the approximatively analytical expression of the net current at quasi-steady state limit. It is found that the interplay of the symmetric parameter of potential and the temperature difference generates a rich variety of cooperation effects such as current reversal.The mutual interplay between the competitive driving factors is a necessary but not sufficient condition for current reversals.

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“…In this case, follow the previous method [30,31], we can obtain the current j(F (t)) from Eq. (7)-Eq.…”

Section: Net Current Of the Thermal Ratchetmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transport reversal in a thermal ratchet

Wang

Liang-Gang

2005

Phys. Rev. E

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“…The model of thermal Brownian motor working due to nonuniform temperature was first studied by Büttiker [18], van Kampen [19] and Landauer [20]. And ever since then, the Brownian heat engine model driven by a contact with the heat reservoirs at different temperatures has been the subject of some authors [22][23][24][25][26] and many meaningful results have been obtained. As to the studies of Brownian motors, most have been on the velocity properties of the transport of the Brownian particles; whereas another important aspect is their thermodynamic properties [3,8,[27][28].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Derényi et al [29] gave a definition of generalized efficiency of the microscopic engines and analyzed its application to a Brownian heat engine. Meanwhile, some researchers [8,9,12,23,28,30,31] had investigated the efficiency performance of Brownian heat engines. In Matsuo and Sasa's work [32], it was shown that the efficiency of the Brownian heat engine can attained Carnot efficiency at quasistatic limit.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…If the heat flow via the kinetic energy is taken into account, the Brownian heat engine can never approach Carnot efficiency [34][35][36][37], even at quasistatic limit. Without considering the heat flow via the kinetic energy, Asfaw and Bekele [23,31] studied the efficiency and coefficient of performance (COP) of a Brownian motor model driven by a contact with heat reservoirs at different temperatures which could act as a heat engine or refrigerator. While Ai et al [25,34], Zhang et al [35], Lin and Chen [36] investigated the performances of the similar Brownian micro heat engine and refrigerator models by taking into account the influence of the heat flow via the kinetic energy and got many different results.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For such a system, according to Refs. [23,26], if the external force F is considered, the general expression for the steady state current J for the Brownian particle in any periodic potential is given by…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Power and efficiency performances of a micro thermal Brownian heat engine with and without external forces

Ding¹,

Chen²,

Sun³

2010

Braz. J. Phys.

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Power and efficiency performances of a thermal Brownian heat engine, which consists of Brownian particles moving in a periodic sawtooth potential with and without external forces and contacting with alternating hot and cold reservoirs along the space coordinate, are studied in this paper. The performance characteristics are obtained by numerical calculations. It is shown that due to the heat flow via the change of kinetic energy of the particles, the Brownian heat engine is always irreversible and the efficiency can never approach the Carnot efficiency. The influences of the operation parameters, i.e. barrier height of the potential, asymmetry of the potential and temperature ratio of the heat reservoirs on the power output, the efficiency and the current performances of the Brownian heat engine are investigated in detail by numerical analysis. When there is no external force, the power output versus efficiency characteristic curves are closed loop-shaped ones, which are similar to those of real conventional irreversible heat engines; whereas when the external force is considered, the power output versus efficiency characteristic curves of the heat engine changed into open loop-shaped ones. Furthermore, the limited regions of the external force and barrier height of the potential are explored by analyzing the current property of the model. It is shown that by reasonable choice of the parameters, the Brownian heat engine can be controlled to operate in the optimal regimes.

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Concept of Heat on Mesoscopic Scales

Sekimoto

2009

Stochastic Energetics

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Current, maximum power and optimized efficiency of a Brownian heat engine

Cited by 76 publications

References 20 publications

Transport reversal in a thermal ratchet

Transport reversal in a thermal ratchet

Power and efficiency performances of a micro thermal Brownian heat engine with and without external forces

Concept of Heat on Mesoscopic Scales

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